Nathan Bock

Nathan Bock (born 20 March 1983) is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played for the Adelaide Football Club between 2002 and 2010, and announced in August 2010 that he would join the new Gold Coast Football Club in 2011.

He was elevated off the Adelaide Football Club's rookie list at the start of the 2003 season after being drafted with selection 25 in the 2002 Rookie Draft from Woodville-West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).

Debuting with the Adelaide Football Club in 2004 as a 21-year-old, he did well in Adelaide's forward line. On his debut (Round 5 April 23, 2004) he goaled with each of his first two kicks, and he had 94 disposals and kicked 8 goals in his first ten games. Since then, under the coaching of Neil Craig, he has been transformed into a tough centre half-back.

Bock missed the first 7 rounds of the 2005 season, but returned in round 8 and showed signs that he and All-Australian defender Ben Rutten would become one of the best defensive combinations in the AFL, a promise the duo delivered on in the next few years. Bock has not lost his forward origin, either; he kicked two goals from tight angles in the third quarter against Fremantle in the 2006 Qualifying Final as Adelaide came from behind to win, and replicated the feat late in the Preliminary Final against West Coast, this time unsuccessfully.

In Brad Johnson's 300th game for the Western Bulldogs in round 1, 2008, with Adelaide trailing by four points with only seconds remaining, Bock took a mark in the left forward pocket, about 45 metres out from goal and on a 45 degree angle. Bock missed the shot as the siren sounded and Adelaide lost the game. However, Bock recovered from this to have a fine season, in which he won AFL All-Australian selection as the team's centre half-back. He also won the 2008 Crows Club Champion award with 162 votes and the club's Most Valuable Player award.